The Creature Compendium

Also known as Aconite, Monks hood, or Queen of Poisons, Wolfs bane is a poisonous purple flower known for being a werewolf deterrent. It can be found in the northern hemisphere, often in mountainous regions.

Category: Plant

History

Aconite was a popular poison in a number of Greek myths, including Medea poisoning Theseus, and supposedly came from the drool of Cerberus. It was also used in wolf traps, as it was believed to be one of the few things that could kill a wolf.

Traits

While the family of flowers in the aconite family can come in a variety of colors, ranging from pale pink to deep indigo, the Wolfs bane variety needed to take down a werewolf is only found in some shades of purple. It grows as a bunch of small flowers on a tall stalk, with large spiked leaves around its base. They can grow in most temperate zones and are relatively easy to cultivate, making them a popular protective plant.

The sprigs themselves, either picked and dried or still growing in the ground, offer a mild protection against man supernatural creatures. The most notable one being the werewolf, but other nocturnal creatures such as the vampire and chupacabra have been known to avoid the plant as well. A border of the flowers around the base of the house would be sufficient to ward off most opportunistic creatures, though they can bypass it if determined.

While the flowers are the recognizable part, to use it as a poison, one must cultivate the roots, where the poison is concentrated. Drying the roots and grinding them to a powder is the easiest method of use, though boiling down the roots while fresh is better for medicinal use. Please note, only trained medics should attempt to use it as medicine, as it can very easily be overdosed on.

The poison is a neurotoxin; early symptoms will be abdominal pain, followed by numbness and tingling at the extremities, before the heart stops or the victim stops breathing.

Werewolves are more prone to this poison than others, and a standard adult dose will kill a werewolf, where in normal cases one would need to greatly increase the dosage of any medication or poison to be effective. They will be forced back into their human form if they are poisoned, and the effects are fast.

Vampires are also weak to this particular poison, and will avoid it when possible. Should they be poisoned, as they are undead the neurotoxin will not effect them in the same way. Instead it will cause paralysis, partial or full, and this may last for hours or even days. So long as the vampire does not starve, they will eventually recover. Other supernatural creatures will face similar symptoms to the werewolf and most mammals if exposed. Non-corporeal creatures are generally not affected, as the poison requires a physical presence to have effect.

To grow wolfs bane, the plant does best in temperate areas and once established is a hardy plant that will come back year after year. It prefers the shade, and gardeners will usually place it at the back of garden arrangements due to its’ height. While only the roots are used for creating poisons or medicine, the entire plant is poisonous and should not be touched directly or eaten under any circumstances. It is less likely to be fatal this way, but it is still not a pleasant experience.

Weaknesses

Wolfs bane as a deterrent around a dwelling can ward off curious creatures and opportunists, but is less effective in defending against more determined individuals. Using it as a poison is effective, but primarily against werewolves and to a lesser extent vampires. The most effective poisoning method is by ingestion, as skin contact doesn’t usually transfer enough to provide a fatal dose, which limits its usefulness as a protective element.